I’ll
Be Home for Christmas
Collecting songs for our historical group to sing at
a Holiday Open House, I printed out lyrics to ‘Deck the Halls’ and ‘Jingle
Bells’ and Frosty the Snowman’. I added in the song ‘I’ll Be Home for
Christmas’.
I love this song—slow and meaningful in so many ways
(and Rascal Flatts does a great rendition of this song!). But, I was vetoed by
the others on our small group--‘too sad to sing’ they said.
So, why do I think they are wrong? Sad? Yes, but
this song is so much more than that to me.
When I hear this song:
I'll
be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
If only in my dreams
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
If only in my dreams
I know it was written in 1943 with World War Two
soldiers in mind. The end of the song makes clear that the soldier will not be
home for this particular Christmas, if ever. And that is the sad part of the
song.
But, in my mind, this song has always been about so
much more. The older I get, people I love are no longer with me on Christmas. I
can no longer race down the stairs to the living room filled with gifts, tell
jokes, enjoy their breakfast casseroles, open their presents, or just close my
eyes and listen to the Christmas chaos happening around me. Perhaps it is the
Irish in me, but to me, that does not mean that they are not WITH me now.
Christmas
Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
If only in my dreams
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
If only in my dreams
‘If Only In My Dreams’…. Every time I hear this
song, I feel surrounded by those I am missing, who are no longer here in life,
but ARE here with me. I feel all those I love and miss, and those I was too
young to know, but who love me because they are my great grandparents, or
beyond. A clan of loving family watching over me.
Tinged with sadness? Yes, many of them I never got
to know. But, I feel them with me every time I need them, and even when I don’t
think I do. A cloak of invisibility if you will, protecting me as I move through
life and its many choices, difficulties and tragedies.
I depend on them. So, thank you to all the unnamed
ghosts who live in my spirit world. I will see you next Christmas.
I'll
be home for Christmas
You can plan on me.
You can plan on me.
4 comments:
Beautifully written, Pat. I agree with you that it does have some sadness as the soldiers could not be home except in their memories or dreams.
Bryant was far away for 2 Christmases. He told his parents what he wanted to give me which made it special. On the other hand, I had to send him just ordinary GI stuff. I did send a fruit cake I made. When it got to him ( after 3 months) in the heat of the Pacific theater, he opened it and saw only a pile of "dust"!!!!
Thanks for the memories your song recalled.
Evelyn
I'll be home for Christmas.
That song does stir up the thoughts, doesn't it?
It takes my mind back to Christmases in the past.
My parents.
Grandma Howland and Wendell.
Uncle Adin.
Chic and Michael.
Now, only in my dreams.
Thanks for the memories.
Kathryn and Evelyn,
Yes, this song makes me think of the people who are no longer sharing Christmas' with us. For me, it is Dad's sister and her husband, Aunt Florence and Uncle Ken. They spent each Christmas Day with us and brought over the most amazing breakfast casseroles with their presents.
As the years go on, I will add others to this list in my mind.
My sister Beth and I would do a music and pictures collage for our family. We would play songs on our record player( Kenny Loggins playing 'Celebrate Me Home', etc.)as we showed slides of our family when we were younger. A good way for us away at college to reconnect with the younger siblings. And so much fun!
Celebrate Me Home, and I will Be Home for Christmas--songs for the season, and for remembering family.
Beautiful, Pat. I love that song, too.
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